"Mom, you must have been terribly bored staying at home when I was a child",I said.
"Bored? Housework is boring.But you were never boring”.
"I didn't believe her, so I said.”Surely children are not as stimulating as a career.”
"A career is stimulating,” she said. “ I'm glad I had one. But a career is like an open balloon. It remains inflated only as long as you keep pumping. A child is a seed . You water it, 你尽力照看他，他自己就可以长成一朵美丽的花。
单词提示：
stimulating adj. 刺激的，有刺激性的
inflated adj. 膨胀的
参考译文:
You care for it the best you can . And then it grows all by itself into a beautiful flower.
In retrospect, I realize what a dynamic educational technique Papa was offering us. Without being aware of it, our family was growing together, sharing experiences and participating in one another’s education. And by looking at us, listening to us, respecting our input, affirming our value, giving us a sense of dignity, 毫无疑问爸爸是对我们影响最大的老师。
参考译文:
Papa was unquestionably our most influential teacher.
One lunchtime when I was in the third grade will stay with me always. I had been picked to be the princess in the school play, and for weeks my mother had painstaking rehearsed my lines with me. 尽管在家里我能把台词念的多熟练,可是只要一上台,我就连一句都说不出来了。
单词提示：
painstaking adj. 辛苦的，辛勤的
rehearse v. 预演，排练
参考译文:
But no matter how easily I delivered them at home,as soon as I stepped onstage, every word disappeared from my head.
Most of us, however, take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. The days stretch out in an endless vista. 于是我们干着琐碎的事情，几乎意识不到我们对生活的倦怠态度
单词提示：
buoyant adj. 轻快的
unimaginable adj. 想不到的
参考译文:So we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life.
全文翻译:但是，我们大多数人把生活认为是理所当然的。我们知道，某一天我们一定会死，但通常我们把那天想象在遥远的将来。当我们心宽体健时，死亡几乎是不可想象的，我们很少想到它。时日在无穷的展望中延展着，于是我们干着琐碎的事情，几乎意识不到我们对生活的倦怠态度（节选自海伦凯勒《假如给我三天光明》）
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard. The child knew he had to start on his journey very soon. He asked God one more question, softly, “Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.”God touched the child on the shoulder and answered, 你的天使的名字不难记住， 你就叫她——妈妈
参考译文：Your angel's name is not hard to remember. You will simply call her Mommy.本段节选自《孩子的守护天使》
原文：
Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. So one day he asked God, “They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?”
God replied, “Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you.”
But the child wasn't sure he really wanted to go. “But tell me, here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile, that's enough for me to be happy.”
“Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy.”
“And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me,” the child continued, “if I don't know the language that men talk?”
God patted him on the head and said, “Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.”
“And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?”
But God had an answer for that question too. “Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.”
“I've heard that on earth there are bad men, who will protect me?”
“Your angel will defend you even if it means risking her life!”
“But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore,” the child continued warily.
God smiled on the young one. “Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you.”
At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard. The child knew he had to start on his journey very soon. He asked God one more question, softly, “Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.”
God touched the child on the shoulder and answered, “Your angel's name is not hard to remember. You will simply call her Mommy.” | 
发表于 2008-4-8 17:52
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发表于 2008-4-8 19:06
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